Crest volt meter



June 29 1926. 1,590,451

' J. SLEPIAN CREST VOLT 'METER Filed Dec. 13. 1920 I WlTNESSES: v INVENTOR- fm JfsgffS/wg www? Y ATTORNEY Patent-ea Jane 29,1926.

` UNITED STATES PATENT o FElcE.

JOSEPH SLEPIAN 0F SWISSV-ALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO WESTINGHOUSI ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CREST VOLT METER.

, .appiieatiii mea neeember is, iazo. serial 1ra-mates.'

This invention relates to meters' and has special relation to means for, and methods of, indicatiiig-the crest or peak values ofv Jap lied voltages.

ne object of'my inventionis to provide a direct-reading measuring 'instrument of the above-indicated character that shall be efficient and reliable in operation.

Another object of my invention isto provide a'. direct-reading instrument of the above-indicated character that shall be relsponsive to corona action.

Heretofore, the ionization of air or gases by the presence eof corona has beenutilized for deteiiiniiig the value of relatively high- .age of the circuit which is to be measured.

Thesev bulbs are connected together by means of a tube, preferably containing mer ucury, the column of mercury bein divided by a suitabledisc. This disc is a apted to move along said .tube in accordance with the value of the applied voltage and to register such movement upon 'a scale-in juxtaf position to'said tube, said sbale being' lsuitably Jcalibrated to indicate the. peak values ofthe applied voltages. y

My invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanyingv drawing, wherein the singlefi e is a diagrammatic' illustration of circuits and apparatus z .;em-

bodying my invention. Referring to the drawing, a

bottom thereof.

A'secpnd glass-bulb 5,-- of silbaenaeiiy spherical shape, is also preferabl vfilled, with an. inert gas. Within the bul 'fare In' this positioii,the meren lass bulb 1 is shown. a'sbeing of "conical s ape at the This bulb* is preferably iilled withan inert gas. Within the bulb is located an electrode 2, 'which is substantially value i'spreached'. The arc thus set up located terminals 6 and 7, respectively con\ iieoted toN the secondar coil 8 of a trans former. 'As shown; this coil has 'a connection 13 .direct to ground to complete the measuring circuits.' l

'The primary coil 9 of the transformer is .Connectedto the supply conductors 10 ofi any local supply circuit, -such as an ordinary (iO-cycle circuit. Connected betweenv 'one line" 1Q of the local source of supply and the primary coil 9 is aresistor` 11.

The two bulbs 1 and 5'are ada ted to be` v connected, at theirv lower ends, y a' tube 12, containing a column of mercury 14, or other suitable current-carrying substance.' The mercury column is shown as divided by a disc 15, which may be made of feltv or any other desired substance. The vdisc'15 is adapted to be moved along said tube in accordance with the movement of the coluinn of mercury, which movement will be controlledby the applied voltage as will be presently described. According y, in ordertof read the value of the applied voltage, a suite ably calibrated scale 16 is shown surrounding tube v12 adjacent the disc 15.

the capillari Norma ly, t at is, when no voltage is applied, the mercury is so disposed as to cause the levels of the ends thereof to Ioccuiy the n positions indicated inthe bulbs 1 an in bulb 1 submerges a terminal 17, whi cally connected to 'an electrode 18. The electrode 18 is located within thels herical bulb 5 and is disposed horizontally tween the terminals 6 and 7.

is electrie Hence, in operation, when volt e; ig vim.

-pressedfen the-electrode 2 froiirt e-'souroe -of suppy 3, corona. action is set up between the electrode 2 and the head of the mercury column 14: which, inturn, transmits -the voltav e from terminal 17 to the'electrode 18. f his at oncesets up'an arc or coronav discharge between the electrode-18 arid-terev `iiiiiial and also between the electrode 18 This arc will be interand the terminal 7.

rupted every half-cycle', since, at the come f pletion of each halfrcycle, a zeroepotent'i heat heas within vthev spherical bulb 5,

mercury'downwa'dly iiitbftheA tube 12, and, g

hence, upwardly into the conical bulb 1. This action will correspondingly move the disc with respect to the scal'e 16.

It will be noted that, as the mercury 14 rises in the bulb 1, the surface area of the mercury increases. Hence, the necessary voltage to maintain corona action will be increasing in accordance with the increasing area of the surfaceof the mercury column. So long as the voltage applied to the electrode 2 is suiiicient to maintain corona action between the electrode 2 and the mercury 14, current will continue to .iiow from the terminal 17 to the electrode 18, and an arc between this electrode and terminals 6 and 7 will occur every half-cycle to correspondingly expand the gas within the bulb 5. This will move the mercury column 1 4 farther into the tube 12, thus increasing the surface area of the mercury within the bulb 1, likewise moving the disc 15 farther with yrespect to the scale 16. Such action will continue so long as corona action continues. When the point` is reached at which no corona action takes place,'the mercury will v tend to recede from the bulb 1 into the tube l will take 12, but, as above described, it will be maintained at such height that no corona action fplace. Hence, at this time, the

position o the disc 15, with res ectto the scale 16, indicates the crest va ue of the.'

voltage applied to electrode 2.

From the` foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided a directreading crest volt meter, utilizing the wellknown corona. action which accurately indicates the peak value of the voltage.

I do not wish to be limited to the specific apparatus and circuits herein set forth, as many modiiications thereof may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are included in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. InV a high-voltage measuring instrument, the combination with a bulb of conical shape having therein arr electrode adapted to be energized from a source of power the voltage of which is to be ascertained, a second bulb having therein the terminals of a local circuit, a tube connecting said bulbs, a column of mercury disposed within said tube and extending partially within said bulbs, a disc dividing said column of mercury and movable with respect to said tube in accordancewith the movements of said mercury, and a calibrated scale for said disc,of an electrode located within said second bulb and horizontally disposed between the terminals therein,.s'aid electrode being in electrical communication with the first-mentioned bulb, whereby any -corona action taking place therein will energize said electrode to set up an arc between it and the adjacent terminals to thereby force said mercury to a higher level within said conical bulb until such time as there shall be no corona action.

2. In a high-voltagel measuring instrument, the combination with a bulb of conical shape having therein an electrode adapted to be energized from a source of power, a -second bulb having therein the terminals of a local circuit, and a tube connecting said bulbs and having a column of meicur disposed therein, and adapted to be displaced, means dividing said column of mercury and movable therewith and an electrode located within said second bulb and horizontally disposed between the terminals therein, said electrode being operatively electrically associated with the first-mentioned electrode, whereby any corona action occurring at that electrode will energize said second electrode to set up an arc between itand the adjacent terminals to thereby move said mercury.

3. In a high-voltage measuring instrument, the combination with a bulb of conical shape having an electrode therein adapted to be ener ized from a source of power the voltage 0% which is to be ascertained, a

second bulb having the terminals of a local comprising a bulb of conical shape having,

therein means adapted to be energized from a source of power, the voltage of which is to be ascertained,a second bulb, a tube connecting said bulbs and having a current-carr ing substance therein that is adapted to ge moved in accordance with the applied voltage, means within said substance and movable therewi@ a scale for co-operation with said second means and an electrode located within said second bulb, said electrode being in electrical communication with the firstmentioned bulb, whereby any corona action taking place in said bulb will energize said electrode to correspondingly move said substance.

5. In combination, an enclosed vessel having a U-tube portion containing separate bodies of conducting liquids and an end chamber portion constructed to change the end-surface area of one of said liquids when' 4connected to a circuit to be measuredvan other lliquid to move sai said liquids and ermitting the transmission of a movingl e l,ect from one to the other thereof, means including an electrode in said chamber for causing space-current discharge relative to said end-surface. area, andv means responsive to said dischar e for aii'ecting the dgirstv liquid.

6. A measuring instrument comprisin a structure embodying a plurality of cham r portions connected ba tubular portion, a

movable insulating dy in said tubular portion, a body -of conducting' liquid in said tubular portion on eachjside of said insulatf ing body and extending to'one of saidchamber portions, an electrode in each of said liquid therein, one of said electrodes the other being. connected to, and constitutin a terminal of, any auxiliary circuit, an'- oter terminal of which is connected to the vliquid in the corresponding chamber, said auxiliary circuit being' grounded, 'and an electrode disposed between the liquid and the electrode in said auxiliary circuit and chamber havingI a substantially horizonv disposed electrode therein adapted energized from a source of power, the volt-age of which is to be measured, a second chamber also having an electrode therein which is in electrical communication with saidrst-mentioned chamber and means connecting said chambers having a substance therein adapted to be affected in accordance with the voltage applied to said iirst-mentioned whereby an increasin substance is presented break down the corona energized. v t

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto Subscribed my name this 3rd day of December, 1920.

' J OSEPILSLEPIAN.

surface area of said to said electrode to electrode, i

40 i action thereof when i 

